Toy Race Car with Tactical Reactivation

ABSTRACT

A battery powered toy car has a large momentary pushbutton on its top surface that is suitable for a small child to smash down on the pushbutton with his fist thus activating the pushbutton. When the pushbutton is pressed, the car will drive forward for a given amount of time or distance such as 10 feet and then stop until the pushbutton is depressed again. When the pushbutton is depressed again, the car will again drive forward for another 10 feet. A race between two such cars thus involves children running behind or alongside of the cars and smashing down on the cars every 10 feet in order to keep the cars moving forward. In this way a race between the cars actively involves children as running participants in the race and involves eye-hand coordination.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/672,355 filed May 16, 2018, which is herebyincorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of toys. More particularly, thisinvention relates to the field of a toy race car with tactilereactivation.

2. Description of Related Art

Young children enjoy toy vehicles including toy race cars, and includingcars that race other cars. Many toy race cars have been developed andsold including: race cars that rely on gravity to propel them along atrack; cars that travel along a track through a “recharger” thatincreases the speed of the vehicles by propelling them mechanically,such as by the propulsion booster wheel shown in patent publication US2012/0264350 by Ostendorff; slot cars that travel along a track and drawelectricity from a metal rail buried in the track; and both fuel-poweredcars and battery-powered cars that are remotely controlled such as byradio frequency (RF) control signals. Many of these toy race cars andtoy race car kits are designed, or can be arranged, so that two carsrace side-by-side, thus allowing children to race against each other viatoy car proxies. Racing car sets, such as side-by-side slot car racingtracks and associated vehicles, are well known. Additionally, in theknown line of cars called the Shake 'n Go Cars, children pick the toyrace car up, shake it several times in order to “rev” the car up, andthen place the car back down on the ground. The shaking action triggersa controller that, up to a point, increases the distance the car will gounder battery power; the more the car is shaken, the farther it willtravel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is of a toy vehicle such as in the form of a racecar that involves the child in a race in a novel way, making a racebetween cars more interactive for the children than with previous toyracing cars.

In the present invention, the car is reactivated for additional travelunder power by an interaction between the child and the car which cantake place while the car is still rolling along the ground. In theillustrative embodiment, the interaction between the child and the caris a physical or tactile action, namely, the child depressing a buttonthat is located on the top of the car. The button is a momentarypushbutton that has a large surface area relative to the rest of thecar, the pushbutton defines the uppermost extent of the car, and thepushbutton has a relatively large and gently rounded top surface. Thesecharacteristics make the button suitable for a small child to smash hisfist or open palm down on the car in order to reactivate it.

When a child first activates the car such as by pressing down on thebutton and then lets the car go, the car will travel along the groundunder battery power for a finite time and distance, such as forapproximately 5 seconds and 10 feet before slowing down or stopping. Thechild can reactivate the car by smashing his fist down upon it,whereupon the car will travel for another finite time and distance, suchas another approximately 5 seconds and 10 feet. The child can reactivatethe car by pressing or smashing the button again while the car is stillmoving; the car does not need to stop, and the child does not need topick the car up off the ground in order to smash the button again andthus reactivate the car via tactile interaction. The car will go thefarthest distance within a given period of time, or alternatively willreach a defined finish line in the least amount of time, if the childnever lets the car slow down before the child smashes the button again.

In a first novel play pattern enabled by the invention, two children canthus race their cars by initially activating and releasing their cars,then running behind and up to the cars and smashing their fists down onthe reactivation buttons on their respective cars in order to keep theircars moving at top speed, and prevent them from ever slowing downsignificantly and stopping. The race between the cars thus includes botha race of sorts between the children and a physical interaction betweenthe children and their cars during the course of the race. The childrenare thus physically involved in the race in a novel, highly interactive,and entertaining way, and in a way that also provides exercise for thechildren and involves eye-hand coordination.

In a second exemplary play pattern, a child erects a course which can bean indoor course for the car including tracks, turns, obstacles, andstunts, then activates the car by pressing the activation button. Thecar then travels for a limited time or distance such as 5 or 10 secondsthrough the course, crashing through barrels, tires, and otherobstacles, then stops automatically. The child then reassembles andreconfigures the course, then activates the car again so that the carnow traverses the same reconstructed course or a new and differentcourse and then stops. In this way, once the car has completed thecourse the car stops automatically, preferably within the child's reach,so that the car does not keep traveling and eventually crash into aliving room wall or continue into the next room requiring the child togo retrieve the car before he can use it again.

In one embodiment, the toy car includes a car body, two or more wheelsattached to the car body for allowing the car to roll along the groundor other support surface, a power supply such as batteries that can beselectively coupled to an electric motor for providing power to thewheels, a depressible member such as a dome-shaped pushbutton suitablefor being pressed and depressed by a child hitting the pushbutton withhis open hand or fist. In response to the child depressing thepushbutton, a controller couples power to the wheels for a firstduration of time. After that first duration of time has begun, thecontroller senses that the child has depressed the pushbutton again, andin response couples power to the wheels for an additional and secondduration of time.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be further described belowwith reference to the drawings, in which like numbers refer to likeparts. The drawing figures might not be to scale, and certain componentsmay be shown in generalized or schematic form and identified bycommercial designations in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a toy race car according to anillustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toy race car of FIG. 1, showing achild's fist smashing down on the vehicle's activation/reactivationbutton.

FIG. 3A is a simplified side cutaway view of the toy race car of FIG. 1showing the activation button in its quiescent (not depressed) position.

FIG. 3B is a simplified side cutaway view of the toy race car of FIG. 1showing the activation button in its activated (depressed) position.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of the control system of the toy racecar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an electrical schematic diagram of the electronics within thetoy race car of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for the controller within the toy race car of FIG.1.

FIG. 7 illustrates two children racing their toy race cars of FIG. 1according to a first novel and exemplary play pattern of the invention.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a child using the toy race car of FIG. 1according to a second exemplary play pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As used in this specification, for ease of discussion the term “car”will be used in its broadest sense to refer to any vehicle, suchvehicles including but not limited to trucks of various kinds,three-wheeled vehicles, vehicles in the form of animals or othercreatures, etc.

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a toy race car 10 according to anillustrative embodiment of the invention. Car 10 in this embodiment isin the form of a toy race car having battery(ies) 52 (FIG. 4), two rearwheels 12 contacting the ground and driven by a motor powered by thebatteries, two front wheels 14, and a momentary pushbutton switch 20whose apex 22 defines the highest point on the car 10. Momentarypushbutton switch 20 preferably has a gently rounded dome but could beflat, and is relatively large and prominent on the car such that it issuitable for a small child to smash his fist or palm down onto switch20. Switch 20 can thus operate as a smash button that activates orreactivates car 10. Switch 20 can thus be considered to be a smashbutton, an activation button, or a reactivation button. The batteries 52constitute a power source that provides power to drive wheels 12. Thebatteries and motor together can be considered to be a power source thatprovides power to the car's drive wheels 12.

In this particular embodiment car 10 is approximately 5 inches long by 3inches wide and thus has a total top projection area of about 15 squareinches. The “top projection area” of smash button 20 refers to the areathat the smash button occupies when car 10 is viewed from the top. Smashbutton 20 has a diameter of about 1.65 inches and thus a top projectionarea of about 2.14 inches. The top projection area of smash button 20 ispreferably greater than 1 square inch. More generally, smash button 20preferably has a diameter of at least 1 inch, and preferably has a totaltop projection area within the range of 2-3 square inches. The smashbutton therefore comprises at least 10% of a top-projection surface areaof the car. In the example given, the smash button comprisesapproximately 14% of the top-projection surface area of the car.

Smash button 20 preferably must be pressed a particular distance inorder to activate the electrical contact pair that is part of thepushbutton mechanism. Preferably smash button 20 has an activationtravel distance of at least 3 mm. In this embodiment the activationtravel distance is about 5 mm. More generally, the activation traveldistance is preferably within the range of about 3-10 mm.

A spring bias or other bias mechanism provides a force that biases smashbutton 20 in a direction away from the car, making it necessary for thechild to apply an activation force against smash button 20 in order tomove smash button 20 downward and activate the switch. Preferably theactivation force necessary to activate the electrical switch associatedwith smash button 20 is between 2 oz. and 2 lbs., and more preferablyabout 4 oz. In the claims appended hereto, the term “spring” is used inits broadest sense to include any resilient bias mechanism, includingwithout limitation a metallic spring, or any bias mechanism such as anelastic or elastomeric member. The spring absorbs force when the childdepresses the pushbutton, with the amount of force absorbed generallyequaling the activation force times the travel distance of thepushbutton. Alternatively, activation/reactivation button 20 can be atactile switch that does not move such as a capacitive touch switch.

Pushbutton 20 defines a sensor that is attached to the toy car body fordetecting that a child has physically interacted with toy car 10 via aparticular physical interaction, and for generating an output signal inresponse thereto.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toy race car 10 of FIG. 1 showing aperson's fist 40 smashing down on the car's activation button 20. Button20 is at or near the bottom of its travel in this drawing and has thusbeen activated.

FIG. 3A is a simplified side cutaway view of the toy race car of FIG. 1revealing certain structural details of smash button 20. FIG. 3B showsthe car with the activation button 20 in its activated (depressed)position. Spring 24 or other bias mechanism biases button 20 upward andaway from the car body. When smash button 20 is pressed downward, spring24 is compressed and plunger 26 is pushed downward thus activating leverswitch 28. Lever switch 28 being activated sends an electrical signal tocontroller 56 which can be a circuit board or even a single integratedcircuit. Smash button 20 thus defines a normally-open momentary switchwhose electrical contacts are closed only when smash button 20 isdepressed. Alternatively, smash button 20 could be a normally-closedmomentary switch with appropriate minor circuit modifications that wouldbe apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of electrical circuitdesign.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of the control system of the toy racecar of FIG. 1. The control system includes button 26 and plunger 26 thatactivate lever switch 26, which sends a signal to controller 56.Controller 56 allows current to flow to electrical motor 62 which driveswheels 12. Electronics 50 and/or controller 56 can include a relay or apower transistor, power switching circuit 60 in this embodiment, fordriving motor 62. In this way controller 60 causes power to be coupledfrom the battery(ies) 52 to electric motor 62 and hence to drive wheels12 to drive the car forward. Controller 56 also produces an audio signalto audio speaker 58 for producing sound effects.

FIG. 5 is an electrical schematic diagram of the electronics 50 withinthe illustrative embodiment of the toy race car 10 of FIG. 1. Theelectronics include batteries 52 which provides power, an ON/OFF switch(not shown) located on the bottom of the car, an optional reset switch54 which can be a small momentary pushbutton switch located on thebottom of the car, a 5V step-up voltage converter circuit to provideV_(dd) of 5V, and a controller 56 for receiving an electrical input fromsmash button 20 and thus detecting that the child has pressed smashbutton 20. Integrated Circuit U1 implements controller 56. In thisembodiment controller 56 is a Nuvoton N584H060 4-bit microcontrollerhaving a built-in speech synthesizer that drivers speaker 58, andinterrupt input signal labeled BP00. Power switching circuit 60 receivescontroller output BP10 and controls switching of V_(dd) to drive motor62 which transmits drive power to rear wheels 14.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for the programming of controller 56 within toyrace car 10. After Power-On at step 500 such as by a child user moving apower switch on the bottom of car 10 to its ON position, a Power-OnSound plays at Step 502, then the car enters a wait loop for 5 secondsat step 522.

If the child does not press the smash button 20 within 5 seconds, thecar enters a Low Power Sleep Mode at step 530.

If, however, the child presses the smash button 20 at 512, theassociated switch causes an Interrupt signal to be sent to thecontroller 56. If it has been less than 5 seconds since the last smashbutton press, the car stops playing any slam sound that had beenplaying, plays a random one of several digitally pre-recorded turbosounds, and drives forward for 10 feet at step 518 before turning offoutput signal BP10 thus removing power from the motor and hence from thewheels. If it has been more than 5 seconds second the last Smash Buttonpress, then the car plays a random one of several digitally pre-recordedslam sounds and drives forward 10 feet at step 516, and enters the waitloop 522.

After the car has driven forward 10 feet, the car allows the currentaudio file to finish playing at step 520.

If, after the car enters the Low Power Sleep Mode at step 530, the childthen activates the Smash Button, the car wakes up at step 510 andproceeds to step 516.

In this way, provided that the child keeps smashing the smash buttonevery 5 seconds, the car will not play a new smash sound but willinstead play a turbo sound every time that the child activates the smashbutton and will continue to move forward.

On the other hand, if the child allows more than 5 seconds to haveelapsed since he last activated the smash button, instead of a turbosound the car will play a random smash sound when next activated.

Optionally, the car has controls for increasing or decreasing one ormore of the speed at which the car travels and the distance the cartravels between reactivations. These controls allow the car to beprogrammed or set in order to allow effective and engaging play forchildren of different ages and for different play patterns. Thoseparameters could be set by either hard toggle switches, DIP switches, orother multi-position switches on the car such as on its underside, or byprogramming of the car such as by using the smash button and possiblyother buttons as “soft” switches that can be used to enter a programmingmode, to program the car, and then to exit the programming mode.

In the embodiment described, the car travels for approximately 5 secondsand 10 feet between activations by the child. More generally, the carcan travel for 2-10 seconds and 5-15 feet between activations, and moregenerally still can travel for 1-15 seconds and 2-50 feet betweenactivations. Other activation times and distances are possible.

FIG. 7 illustrates two children racing their cars according to a firstnovel play pattern made possible by the invention. The children havealready activated and released their respective cars 110, 210 which arenow rolling along the ground. A first child has caught up to his car 110and is in the process of depressing the pushbutton on his car in orderto reactivate the car, while the second child has not yet caught up tohis car 210.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrates a child using the toy race car of FIG. 1according to a second exemplary play pattern. In this play pattern achild erects a course which can be an indoor course for the carincluding tracks, gates, turns, obstacles, and stunts, then activatesthe car by pressing the activation button. The car then travels for alimited time or distance such as 5 or 10 seconds through the course,passing through gates, and crashing through barrels, tires, and otherobstacles as erected by the child, then stops automatically, preferablywithin the child's reach if the track forms nearly a closed loop, or atleast within a close distance to the child. The car does not keeptraveling and eventually crash into a living room wall or continuinginto the next room requiring the child to walk a long distance toretrieve the car before he can use it again. The child then reassemblesand optionally reconfigures the course, then activates the car again sothat the car now traverses the same course or a new course then stops.This minimizes the chances that the car will crash into a wall orfurniture thus doing damage to the wall or to furniture, and alsominimizes the time that the child spends retrieving the car. Thisincreases the enjoyment value for the child and also for the parents.

It will be appreciated that the term “present invention” as used hereinshould not be construed to mean that only a single invention having asingle essential element or group of elements is presented. Similarly,it will also be appreciated that the term “present invention”encompasses a number of separate innovations which can each beconsidered separate inventions. Although the present invention has thusbeen described in detail with regard to the preferred embodiments anddrawings thereof, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious adaptations and modifications of the present invention may beaccomplished without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention. For example, the car could take any form including of variouscars or creatures, and could have different numbers of wheels. Thereactivation could be accomplished in various ways including a tactilereactivation such as be pressing a physical switch in the illustrativeembodiment, or wirelessly such as by successfully “shooting” the carusing an infrared gun or laser gun. Accordingly, it is to be understoodthat the detailed description and the accompanying drawings as set forthhereinabove are not intended to limit the breadth of the presentinvention, which should be inferred only from the following claims andtheir appropriately construed legal equivalents.

We claim:
 1. A toy vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; a plurality ofwheels attached to the vehicle body, the wheels for contacting a supportsurface to allow the toy vehicle to roll along the support surface; apower supply selectively coupled to a motor for providing power to thewheels; a depressible member adapted for being depressed by a child; anda controller for: controlling power to be coupled from the power supplyto the motor for a first duration of time such that the vehicle ispropelled under power for the first duration of time; and after thefirst duration of time has begun, receiving an indication that thedepressible member has been depressed by the child, and in responsethereto controlling power to be coupled to the motor for an additionalduration of time.
 2. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein an uppermostextent of the depressible member defines an uppermost extent of thevehicle.
 3. The toy vehicle of claim 1 further comprising: a springoperatively connected to the depressible member so as to bias thedepressible member toward a position away from the vehicle body, andsuch that spring absorbs force when a child presses the depressiblemember.
 4. The toy vehicle of claim 3 wherein the spring provides asufficient bias force of at least 2 oz. against the depressible memberin the depressible member's undepressed position.
 5. The toy vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein the depressible member must be displaced by a distanceof at least 3 mm before the controller will couple the power supply tothe motor for said additional duration of time.
 6. The toy vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein the depressible member comprises at least 10% of atop-projection surface area of the toy vehicle.
 7. The toy vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein the depressible member has a top-projection surface areaof greater than 1 inch².
 8. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein thedepressible member has a dome shaped top having a top-projection surfacearea of greater than 1 inch².
 9. A toy vehicle comprising: a vehiclebody; at least one ground contacting member attached to the body, theground contacting member contacting a support surface to allow the toyvehicle to roll along the support surface; a power source selectivelycoupled to the ground contacting member for providing power thereto; asensor attached to the vehicle body for detecting that a child hasphysically interacted with the toy vehicle via a physical interaction ina predetermined manner, and generating a first signal in responsethereto; and a controller for: directing power to the ground contactingmember for a first duration of time such that the vehicle is propelledunder power along the support surface for the first duration of time;and after the first duration of time has begun, receiving the firstsignal in response to the child interacting with the toy vehicle and inresponse thereto directing power to the ground contacting member for anadditional duration of time.
 10. The toy vehicle of claim 9 wherein:said physical interaction comprises a physical interaction that can beperformed by the child while the toy vehicle is traveling along thesupport surface under its own power.
 11. The toy vehicle of claim 9wherein said physical interaction comprises pressing a portion of thetoy vehicle on a top end thereof.
 12. The toy vehicle of claim 9 whereinsaid physical interaction comprises depressing a portion of the toyvehicle on a top end thereof.
 13. The toy vehicle of claim 9 wherein thesensor is a touch sensor, and the physical interaction comprisestouching the touch sensor.
 14. A toy vehicle comprising: a vehicle body;at least one wheel attached to the body for rolling along a groundsurface; a motor for driving the wheel; a power supply selectivelycoupled to the motor for providing power thereto; means for allowing achild who is traveling on foot alongside the toy vehicle to interactwith the vehicle as the vehicle is rolling along the ground surface in apredetermined manner defining a first interaction between the child andthe toy vehicle, the first interaction causing the power supply to becoupled to the motor such that the motor drives the toy vehicle for afirst distance of greater than 2 feet and less than 50 feet after thefirst interaction.
 15. The toy vehicle of claim 14 wherein said firstdistance is between 5 and 15 feet.
 16. The toy vehicle of claim 14wherein additional interactions between the child and the vehicle insaid predetermined manner each cause the power supply to be coupled tothe motor such that the motor drives the toy vehicle for a seconddistance of greater than 2 feet and less than 50 feet after saidadditional interactions.
 17. The toy vehicle of claim 14 whereininteraction between the child and the toy vehicle comprises a physicalinteraction.
 18. The toy vehicle of claim 17 wherein said meanscomprises: a momentary pushbutton switch that is suitable for a child tosmash down upon with his fist as the vehicle is rolling along the groundsurface; and a controller for sensing that the momentary pushbuttonswitch has been activated and for directing power to the motor therebydriving the toy vehicle forward and thereafter automatically removingpower from the motor.
 19. The toy vehicle of claim 17 wherein said meanscomprises: a switch whose uppermost surface defines an uppermost portionof the vehicle; a controller for sensing that the switch has beenactivated and for directing power to the motor thereby driving the toyvehicle forward and thereafter automatically removing power from themotor.
 20. The toy vehicle of claim 14 further comprising: a soundgenerator that, upon an additional interaction between the child and thevehicle in said predetermined manner defining a second interaction,generates: a first sound if the second interaction occurred within apredetermined time limit after the first interaction; and a second sounddifferent from the first sound, if the second interaction occurred afterthe predetermined time limit.